Computex 2012

This week the already-released Acer Iconia Tab 510 has appeared at no less than Computex 2012, complete with its lovely 15-hour battery life, Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, and NVIDIA Tegra 3 quad-core processor. This device has a respectable 1280 x 800 pixel resolution 10.1-inch display, versions in 16 or 32GB for internal storage, and Dolby Digital Plus software and hardware that supports 5.1 channel audio via HDMI output. This device has some Olympic markings on the back and is made specifically for you to capture the 2012 games as they move forward in London - catch all the action!

With the Acer Iconia Tab A110 out on the blocks with a big upgrade to Tegra 3 with Ice Cream Sandwich, we knew there'd be a bump for the next biggest bunch: the Acer Iconia Tab A210. This device takes the Iconia Tab A200 and turns it into a much more impressive beast, complete with NVIDIA's Tegra 3 1.2GHz quad-core processor, a lovely 10.1-inch 1280 x 800 pixel display, and Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. Can it bust up the elder generation of Acer Android tablets with one blow?

This week we've gotten the opportunity to take a peek at the newest version of Acer's hero for the 7-inch tablet form factor in the Acer Iconia Tab A110. This device has been upgraded beyond its original A100 form with a larger battery, an NVIDIA Tegra 3 1.2GHz quad-core processor, and has become just a bit lighter. This device's 7-inch display contains 1024 x 600 pixels and the whole beast has 1GB of RAM to run it.

ASUS' Computex 2012 range may have err'd on the odd side so far, but the new Zenbook Prime UX21A Touch is an ultrabook with far more mass-market appeal despite delivering finger-friendly Windows 8. Taking the original Zenbook Prime from earlier this year, and slotting in a capacitive touchscreen on top of the Full HD display, it eschews crazy hinges and odd form-factors for a more straightforward boost in functionality.

Samsung may have opened its Computex showing with a range of touchscreen models, but the company also had a pair of hybrid tablet/notebooks to demonstrate too. Hot on the heels of the Series 5 Ultra Convertible, Series 5 Ultra Touch and Series 7 Slate PC come the Samsung Series 5 Hybrid and Series 7 Hybrid, a pair of Windows 8 slates running Intel chips and using a clever magnetic dock to cut down on hinge bulk.

Acer granted AMD its wish: a hybrid docking tablet running the chip company's new 2nd-gen Trinity APU that borrows the form-factor of the company's previous ICONIA Tab Android and Windows 7 models. The new Acer ICONIA Tab Windows 8 version doesn't have an official name yet - its predecessor, which ran the old OS on an AMD C-Series processor, was the W500 - but functionally doesn't leave many gaps.

AMD brought along its latest 2nd-gen Trinity reference design along to Computex 2012 today, and we grabbed some hands-on time with the Compal-made tablet/notebook hybrid after the keynote. An 11.6-inch slate which docks into a well-spaced keyboard with trackpad and extra ports, the unnamed prototype is unlikely to reach the market in its current form, but AMD hopes will provide some inspiration to its OEM partners considering APUs.

Lenovo has brought along a new ThinkPad tablet to Computex 2012 this week, an 11.6-inch slate running Windows 8 on top of Intel's latest Medfield Atom. The new prototype follows Lenovo's traditional aesthetic, with a matte, soft-touch chassis and squared-off design that the company obviously hopes will appeal to enterprise tableteers.

TRENDnet is heavily into powerline networking and has a new product unveiled at Computex called the 500 Mbps Compact Powerline EV Adapter with Build in Outlet model number TPL-407E. The adapter also comes as a kit with model number TPL-407E2K that features two of the adapters. These adapters promise fast connection speeds and have an integrated outlet.

Shuttle has branched out from its usual fare of small-form-factor PCs to jump into the network-attached storage (NAS) and personal cloud market, with the OMNINAS KD20 making its debut at Computex this week. A compact two-bay backup, file sharing and media serving box, the KD20 can handle up to 8TB across a pair of 3.5-inch SATA drives and comes with apps for various mobile platforms for grabbing your content while on the go.